BasehorLady's Blog

I hope this guy is put in general population at the jail and that the other inmates take care of him.  He deserves to be fried. 

Cops: Dad Ordered to Pay Child Support Kills Son


01/03/2009  -- 

A man who initially told police gunmen kidnapped his 2 1/2-year-old son was arrested Saturday, accused of committing an "extremely hideous" murder because he was ordered to pay child support, Police Superintendent Warren Riley said.

Danny Platt confessed, told police where to find the child's body and will be booked with first-degree murder of Ja' Shawn Powell, Riley said at a news conference.

"He had said he would kill either his wife or his child before he paid child support," which he recently had been ordered to do, Riley said.

Riley said he did not know the amount of child support and would not describe how the boy was killed, saying the coroner would do that after the autopsy was complete. The coroner's spokesman did not immediately return a call.

"The mother is in a safe place," Riley said.

Although he had visiting rights, Platt, 22, of New Orleans, had never visited the boy until he picked him up Friday, Riley said.

Police put out a notice Saturday asking people to look for the boy and saying his father had told them three men with dreadlocks and AK-47 rifles had piled out of an SUV and kidnapped Ja' Shawn shortly before midnight Friday.

"His story never really added up," Riley said. "He was a suspect from the very beginning."

Riley said Platt eventually confessed and told officers where to find the body.

Platt had only a couple of "very minor" previous arrests, he said.

"How does an individual — because he's ordered to pay child support to take care of a kid ... believe that this is so much pressure that he would face — he would do this hideous act to his own child, or to any child, and think that is a remedy to paying child support?" Riley said. "I mean there are some sick individuals in this society, and this gentleman is clearly one."

This is why we don't go anywhere on New Year's Eve UNLESS we can spend the night...  We never celebrate out of the house if we have to drive back the same night.  Too risky to come across intoxicated drivers not paying attention and I have two precious children I have to take care of. 

 

Three Dead in New Year's Day Wreck

KANSAS CITY, MO  --  A Kansas City, Missouri Police Sergeant says it was one of the worst wrecks he's ever seen. Three people died New Year's Day when a car rear-ended them at Vivion and Antioch just after midnight. Police said a car was sitting at a stop light when another car rear-ended it. The car that was hit caught fire. Two people inside, a man and woman, died at the scene. The driver of the second car was taken to the hospital where he later died. Police said speed was definitely a factor.

This is the best story of being in the right place at the right time that I've heard in a long time.  Kudos to the soldiers! 

Army Officers Rescue Woman from Watery Crash LEAVENWORTH, KS  --  A Leavenworth woman is recovering after she had to be rescued when her car went off the road into the water below.

From where the road is in relation to where the car ended up, people would not have been able to see the car. But, thankfully, someone was watching over her.
   
"I was driving down the road and saw the car go out of control," said David Noble.

Major David Noble's mission for the afternoon was to go sledding at his buddy's house. But, that quickly changed when he saw the car go off the country road in Leavenworth.

"Then she swerved back across the road and then down into this creek," said Fred Phillip.

"When she spun around this way, she literally launched right into the ditch and landed on her side," said Noble.

Both the Army officers knew their next mission was to get Harriet Baghal out of the car and warm.

"The car was on its side and the weight of the door trying to push it upright plus with her in her condition with the water and hyperthermia probably setting in, would have been a difficult task," said Noble.

Major Phillip got a ladder from his house to put in the car so she could climb out.

Baghal says she made it through the ordeal emotionally because her "brothers in arms" wouldn't leave her side.

"I wasn't shaking, I wasn't crying, I wasn't losing it and it's because I wasn't alone. And there's no way to explain how very very important that was," said Baghal.

Baghal said she's truly grateful for their help.

"It's a wonderful feeling to know there's such good people in the world," said Baghal.

Harriet Baghal said she wasn't really hurt from the crash, just bruised a little.

I cannot BELIEVE you did not put this to the members for a vote!  The most important vote in UAW history, and you screwed up BIG time!  My husband is a UAW member, and he would have GLADLY taken a cut in pay if it meant he could keep his job! How DARE you not have the members vote on it.  Just who do you think you are?  You need to be OUSTED!  It's a good thing you're far from Kansas, I'd come to your office and yank you out of it myself! 

 (also posted on www.myfoxdc.com and www.myfoxdetroit.com)

I cannot BELIEVE you did not put this to the members for a vote!  The most important vote in UAW history, and you screwed up BIG time!  My husband is a UAW member, and he would have GLADLY taken a cut in pay if it meant he could keep his job! How DARE you not have the members vote on it.  Just who do you think you are?  You need to be OUSTED!  It's a good thing you're far from Kansas, I'd come to your office and yank you out of it myself! 

 (also posted on www.myfoxdc.com and www.myfoxdetroit.com)

Like you're really going to read this:

I cannot BELIEVE you did not put this to the members for a vote!  The most important vote in UAW history, and you screwed up BIG time!  My husband is a UAW member, and he would have GLADLY taken a cut in pay if it meant he could keep his job! How DARE you not have the members vote on it.  Just who do you think you are?  You need to be OUSTED!  It's a good thing you're far from Kansas, I'd come to your office and yank you out of it myself! 

 

Yeah, like you're really going to read this: 

I cannot BELIEVE you did not put this to the members for a vote!  The most important vote in UAW history, and you screwed up BIG time!  My husband is a UAW member, and he would have GLADLY taken a cut in pay if it meant he could keep his job! How DARE you not have the members vote on it.  Just who do you think you are?  You need to be OUSTED!  It's a good thing you're far from Kansas, I'd come to your office and yank you out of it myself! 

 

My husband is a UAW member in Kansas. We want to know WHY the UAW didn't put a
pay cut to the members for a vote? How IRRESPONSIBLE of them to take it on
themselves, saying we wouldn't take a cut in pay!!! My husband would have voted
to take a cut in pay! Some heads need to roll for this!

My husband is a UAW member in Kansas. We want to know WHY the UAW didn't put a pay cut to the members for a vote? How IRRESPONSIBLE of them to take it on themselves, saying we wouldn't take a cut in pay!!! My husband would have voted to take a cut in pay! Some heads need to roll for this!

What was the name of the diet book featured on Tuesday morning's news?

As many of you may have heard, children of all ages are being dropped off at facilities in Nebraska pursuant to the safe haven law.  Over 70 children just since July.  Now the rules are about to change.  There is to be an age limit of three days old, but it will not take effect for some time.  I find it sad for them to limit it to newborns.  What will now happen to the children that really need a safe haven?  Will more children suffer beatings at the hands of their parents because the parents just "can't take it anymore?"  Wouldn't it be better to have a safe haven for those children in times of need?  What are your thoughts?   What did they think would happen when they implemented this law in the first place?

Nebraska Lawmakers Agree On Safe-Haven Age Limit Protestors hold signs in front of the Creighton Medical Center in Omaha, Neb., Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008. The organizers of the protest against Nebraska's Safe Haven law hoped it will help convince state lawmakers to convene and put an age limit in the law before the regular legislative session starts in January. Nebraska's law allows anyone to leave a child as old as 18 at a state-licensed hospital without fear of prosecution. On Monday, a Michigan mother drove about 12 hours to Omaha and dropped off her 13-year-old son at medical center.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik) Michigan Teenager Dropped At Omaha, Neb., Hospital 14-Year-Old Iowa Girl Abandoned Under Nebraska Law or just enabling jstl so that we can just write ${bean.property} and jsp takes care of the new lines. -->By NATE JENKINS
Associated Press Writer

LINCOLN, Neb.  --  Stung by the abandonment of children as old as 17 at Nebraska hospitals, the governor and lawmakers struck a deal Monday to rewrite the state's safe haven law so it applies only to infants up to three days old.

 

A rash of drop-offs in recent months, particularly those of teenagers and from out of state, thrust the state into the national spotlight. The law was ridiculed on an episode of "Saturday Night Live" this past weekend.

Forty of the 49 senators in the unicameral Legislature and Gov. Dave Heineman have agreed to the changes, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Flood said during a news conference on Monday.

The state's safe-haven law allows caregivers to abandon children -- interpreted by some to include those as old as 18 -- at hospitals without fear of prosecution. The age cap would change Nebraska's safe-haven law from the most lenient in the country to one of the most restrictive. Sixteen other states have a similar 3-day-old age cap.

At least 18 children, aged 22 months to 17 years, have been abandoned since the law took effect in July, including a child from Iowa and a Michigan child who was driven from there by his mother.

The Nebraska law, intended to prevent infants from being dumped or abandoned in dangerous places by mothers who don't want them, has had "serious, unintended consequences," Heineman said. "This law needs to be changed to focus on infants."

Heineman has said he would prefer not to call a special session to change the law before the regular session starts in January, though he indicated that if more out of state children were abandoned under the law he might change his mind.

Flood said lawmakers would likely quickly change the law in the first couple of weeks of the new year.

In the meantime, Nebraska officials are trying to prevent more drop-offs.

Heineman has authorized Health and Human Services to spend up to $100,000 promoting a help line operated by the United Way for parents and guardians. The state is also sending letters to all adoptive parents and guardians of children who are former state wards providing phone numbers and Web sites of agencies that can help them if they are having problems with their children.

 

that people have to be PAID to do what's right.  Shame on them.  What if some loved one of theirs was murdered, and it could only be solved by an anonymous tip.  Wouldn't they want someone to call the tip in, whether the tipster got paid or not?   They should be ashamed of themselves because I know I'm ashamed of them.

KANSAS CITY, MO.  --  Several anonymous crime tipsters are complaining that they're not being paid their rewards on "technicalities."

More than one anonymous Crime Stoppers Tipster FOX 4 talked to complained that the rules aren't clear and they don't understand why they're not getting paid. Now, they're telling their friends not to use this vital service.

"They didn't really explain any of the requirements or anything. They just gave me the tip number and told me to keep calling back, and once the people were arrested, they would give me the money," said one tipster.

FOX 4 asked if the people had been arrested? The tipster said, "I'm not sure yet, because they wouldn't give me any information. They were very rude and hung up the phone."

One woman we spoke with said she called the Tips Hotline with juicy information only she had on a recent murder. After some back and forth, she realized they weren't going to reward her, or tell her why.

She said her experience would deter her from calling the TIPS Hotline again and she's already told a couple of other people about what happened to her.

"Tips are critical. Especially, this has been a very violent year," said Craig Sarver, Crime Stoppers Coordinator.

Sarver said his team relies on anonymous tipsters, and are not stingy with their pay outs.

"We pay several thousand dollars a month, each month, in cash to people whose tips have earned that reward," said Sarver.

To collect, he said tipsters must follow the rules and the tip must lead to an arrest. But, some tips won't pay off.

"For instance, if a tipster goes to the police first, then comes to us afterward... We cant pay those. It truly must be anonymous," said Sarver.

"I just feel like I gave that information up for nothing. I just thought I would like, giving that information would help that guy's family because that was a young gentlemen who didn't have to die," said a tipster.

Another "technicality" is that the information has to be new. If someone else has come forward with it, you with be thanked, but not with money.

Glad this has been solved!
Basehor body turns out to be murder suspect

The body of a man found in Basehor over the weekend turned out to not only be a suicide, but a suspect in a recent murder case in Florida.

Basehor Police Chief Lloyd Martley confirmed the identity of the man late Tuesday afternoon as 50-year-old Ricardo Castro, who has had a warrant out for his arrest since the murder of his girlfriend in mid-August in Orange County, Fla. Police in the Kansas City area have also been on the lookout for Castro since a vehicle registered to the victim was found abandoned in a field Aug. 17 near 198th Street and Sandusky Road, just east of Tonganoxie. According to previous reports, Castro’s fingerprints were found at the crime scene.

Around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Martley said, Daryl Potts and his two sons noticed a strange smell while clearing brush near a pond on their property just north of State Avenue on 150th Street.

The older son, Jake Potts, 16, was the first one to notice the body.

“I thought it was a deer,” he said Monday. “I walked past it twice.”

His third trip past the body, which was slumped up against a tree in a heavily wooded area just inside the property line, he discovered the source of the smell was actually a human body.

Castro also had one sleeve of a jacket tied around his neck while the other sleeve was tied to a tree branch above him, Martley said. The coroner who performed the autopsy Monday afternoon determined that the preliminary cause of death was suicide by hanging.

It was originally estimated that Castro’s body had been there for three to six months since it was so badly decomposed and he was wearing heavy clothing, however Martley said the coroner estimated it may have only been there for a month.

“The coroner said you can go from walking to bones in seven days depending on the conditions,” Martley said. “The weather could have increased the decomposition process.”

A set of keys with an attached Winn-Dixie grocery store card found on the body helped police identify it as Castro. Martley said Lieutenant John Schermbeck with the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department suggested a connection between the keys and the abandoned car that was still in police custody.

“He said, ‘we have a car with no keys and you have keys with no car. Maybe they’re connected,’” Martley said. “And it just so happens they were.”

Police found another Winn-Dixie card in the console of the abandoned vehicle and matched the numbers up with the one on the keychain found on the body.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation later confirmed the identity of the body as Castro through the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System database.

Martley said he suspects Castro grew tired of running and rather than be caught and sent to jail, he committed suicide.

“And, now the Florida murder has been solved and we know who our dead guy is,” Martley said. “Orange County has been contacted and they have notified the victim’s family that the suspect is deceased. This was a collaborative effort between the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department, Leavenworth County Emergency Management and the Basehor Police Department in getting this crime solved quickly.”

Two off duty officers were killed in a one car accident in KCK approximately 1:00 a.m. today. The vehicle left the roadway, flipped, and the unbelted passenger was ejected and died. The driver survived, but was so distraught he went home and took his own life. This was so sad, I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. Please keep the family members of all involved in your prayers. They really need them right now.

This has to do with the Quik Trip in Bonner Springs, Kansas.  Wednesday night, September 10, at 9:30pm, gas was $3.47 a gallon.  The next morning, 8:00am, gas was $3.44.  That same day, at 2:45pm it had risen to $3.56.  I remember all this very well, because I had just paid $3.39 over in Missouri.  At the Casey's in Basehor, the price only seems to go up when they get a new shipment of gas.  I don't know for sure, but it seems that Quik Trip is taking advantage by raising prices in between shipments.  What do you think?  Who would I contact to have them investigate?